Divorce filing may explain two slayings in rural Havana

Authorities in Mason County believe the apparent murder-suicide at a rural Havana home Thursday afternoon was likely caused by issues stemming from an impending divorce. The evidence found at the scene and discovered during an autopsy suggests that Mark E. Hindahl, 63, shot his wife Julianne, 53, four ...

Authorities in Mason County believe the apparent murder-suicide at a rural Havana home Thursday afternoon was likely caused by issues stemming from an impending divorce.

The evidence found at the scene and discovered during an autopsy suggests that Mark E. Hindahl, 63, shot his wife Julianne, 53, four times with a revolver before turning the gun on himself in the driveway of his residence at about 4:30 p.m. Thursday, according to the Mason County Sheriff’s Office.

As of Friday, the Sheriff’s Office could confirm only that a 911 call had been received at about 4:30 p.m. Thursday reporting gunshots fired in the area of 19468 County Road North in rural Havana and that the Hindahls were found unresponsive at the residence and pronounced dead at the scene by Mason County Coroner Michael Hurley.

Following a Friday autopsy that Hurley ordered, the Sheriff’s Office said Monday the Hindahls were indeed killed by gunshot wounds and that the evidence, according to Chief Deputy Paul Gann, points to the husband as the killer. Julianne Hindahl was shot four times and Mark Hindahl was shot once, the Sheriff’s Office statement said, and a revolver was found at the scene.

According to the official statement, the two were found dead in the driveway to his residence.

Issues stemming from the couple’s pending divorce are believed to have prompted the incident, according to the sheriff’s statement. Neither alcohol or drugs are suspected to have played a role in the incident, Gann said in an email Monday to the Daily Times.

According to Gann, the couple had been living in two separate houses next door to each other.